Our Donor Stories - Andrew Ginder

Young Donor Makes Meaningful Gift

You never know what treasures will come from a garage sale. At the Ginder family sale, it wasn’t an item, but an idea – a lemonade stand.

Five-year-old Andrew Ginder told his parents he wanted to open a lemonade stand but didn’t want to keep the money he made. Instead he chose to donate it to a worthy cause - the Children's Hospital at Albany Medical Center.

That first lemonade stand, along with Andrew’s birthday money, totaled $125. Wanting to double that, the following year, he added a collection jar at his favorite restaurant, Johnny B’s of Glenmont, and also asked people at his church to help. When asked who the money was helping, Andrew said he wanted to make babies feel better so that they could go home to their moms and dads.

Andrew’s parents, John and Pamela Ginder, of Selkirk, were stunned, not at their son's incredible generosity, but at what he understood, Andrew was a twin whose brother Michael died at birth. John and Pamela never hid that from Andrew, but it wasn’t something they discussed either. Yet Andrew knew and he wanted to help others in whatever way he could.

Andrew Ginder donated his birthday money and other funds he raised to the Children's Hospital at Albany Med.

Like so many Albany Med fundraisers, Andrew’s donations to the Children’s Hospital at Albany Medical Center are personal to him and his family. Something meaningful to a person, a family or a group combines with a drive to help create something that can benefit many.

In 2012, nearly two dozen community fundraisers benefited programs at the Children’s Hospital. Golf outings, 5k runs and softball tournaments, among others, combined to raise more than $117,000. This is in addition to the more than $1 million raised through the creativity of our corporate partners through the Children’s Miracle Network. Events such as these not only show financial support, but also underscore the importance of the Children’s Hospital to the community.

Andrew‘s 2012 fundraising efforts raised $665; his 2013 goal is $1,000, and he is well on his way to reaching it by his seventh birthday. His efforts and those of many others throughout the Capital Region help ensure that the Children’s Hospital continues to offer the same expert and compassionate care that children and their families throughout the region have come to expect from Albany Med.

Is hosting a fundraiser to benefit Albany Medical Center something you would like to do? Learn how you can create a community event by clicking here or to develop your own personal giving page, please click here.